


The Angel Among Us

by PBandGelly



Category: Sanders Sides
Genre: Character Death, Child Abuse, Gen, Government Experimentation, Guardian Angel!Virgil, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Past Child Abuse, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-04-15 00:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14147802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PBandGelly/pseuds/PBandGelly
Summary: Virgil was sent down to earth to be the guardian angel of three teenage runaways. He must guide them to safety without revealing his abilities. Otherwise, he would fail his mission, and the ones he was supposed to guide would meet the same fate he did.





	1. Chapter 1

_ Virgil was killed in 2004. It was an awful day, one that he would constantly have nightmares about. He spent so long running away before the fateful moment, and it all came to nothing. The ones he was running from caught him and killed him on the spot. Shot through the heart, no chance of survival.  _

 

_ He never used to believe in an afterlife, until he became a part of it. The moment after he died, he opened his eyes. He was in a city, full of bustling people. It was jarring, and Virgil felt himself starting to panic.  _ Calm down Virge. This isn’t real. _ That’s right, it was just a dream. But still, he died right? What is this place if he’s dead? _

 

_ A stranger stopped in front of him.  _ Oh no. _ Virgil hated talking to new people. It also didn’t help that this new person was insanely attractive. The stranger was staring at Virgil. Great, now he looked like a weirdo.  _

 

_ “You look scared. Are you okay?” The stranger stuck out his hand to help Virgil up. _

 

_ Virgil grabbed the guy’s hand. “Thanks,” he mumbled, “I’m fine.” Virgil forced himself to look at the guy. He looked like a movie star. Dark brown hair, unshaven yet trimmed beard. Yep, definitely attractive. “Um, where are we?” _

 

_ The guy smiled. “That’s not important.” He paused and seemed to scan Virgil. “You look sick.” Virgil didn’t feel sick, but maybe it was just the shock of waking up in a new place. “I’ll take you back to my place.” Normally, Virgil would refuse, but he just wanted to get out of the streets. So he followed this man, still not knowing what was going on. _

 

_ Virgil supposed that he was disassociating, because the next thing he knew he was in front of a large mansion. There was a crowd of people in front, hoping to get in. The guy he was following paid no attention to them and walked right up to the front gates with Virgil in tow. He pretended not to hear the whispers of the others.  _ Why did he choose  _ him _ ? I can’t believe this guy gets to be a guardian.  _ Virgil didn’t know what they meant.  _

 

_ The inside of the house felt very stereotypical. A larger foyer with a staircase on either side, leading up to a balcony-like second floor. The guy led him upstairs to an office-like room.  _

 

_ “Take a seat, Virgil.”  _ How does he know my name?  _ “Let me introduce myself. I am God, but I go by Abraham. You are in heaven, and you died.” He paused to let the truth sink in.  _

 

I… died? That can’t be true. If I died, how am I experiencing this? Isn’t heaven supposed to be on a bunch of clouds? Why does it look like a city? Oh god, I’m actually talking to God. This can’t be real. It’sjustadreamthiscan’tbereal.  _ Virgil started to breathe faster.  _

 

_ “Woah, woah, calm down. Look at me.” It took Virge a minute to realize that Abraham was trying to calm him down in an actual way. He followed his instructions, and soon enough Abraham could continue talking.  _

 

_ “This is my home. Not many people have been personally invited here from me. The only ones who have had a special task assigned to them.” He took a breath. “I gave them the task of Guardian Angel. It’s given to those who have had an unfair death, to prevent others from dying in the same way.” _

 

_ “So… you want  _ me _?” Virgil couldn’t believe it. All his life he was never wanted for anything good. Now the actual God was sitting in front of him, telling him that his death was horrible, and he was being given a sort of second chance.  _

 

_ “Yes.” Abraham looked through some papers on his desk. “The truth is, Virgil, humans have stopped going by my will. I never intended for them to be so cruel, especially towards each other. I normally give the Guardian Angel task to those who have died from hate crimes. They died too young for an unforgivable reason.” _

 

_ Virgil remembers learning about hate crimes. They would happen to people of different skin colors, different genders, different sexualities. The list would go on and on. Virgil knew which category he fell into.  _

 

_ “You’ll have to undergo intensive training, but you’ll learn skills that other angels don’t get. You’ll be able to heal, mind read, read emotions, and others. The task I have for you will be extremely challenging, but you’ll be saving lives. Are you up for it?” _

 

_ Virgil thought about it. Would he be able to do this? He didn’t believe so at first. He wasn’t athletic, and his anxiety disorder got in the way of things. But still, he didn’t want others to face the same fate as him. He  _ wanted _ to do this. “Yes, I am,” he said with confidence, which shocked him, “I don’t want others to suffer the same fate as me. I want them to be able to live.” Virgil’s voice sounded different to him. It had more conviction. Maybe that was a sign that he was changing.  _

 

_ Abraham smiled. “Good, the last few I chose declined. The Guardians were running low.” He stood up, and Virgil took this as a cue to stand up as well. “I’ll assign you a roommate, and you’ll meet them tomorrow. For now, you can sleep in the guest bedroom here.” He grabbed Virge’s hand and shook it firmly. “Welcome to the team, Virgil Sanders.” _

 

* * *

 

Virgil died 13 years ago. Since then, he gained new powers and confidence. He was ready to go back to earth to protect others. Well, almost. 

 

“You’ll do fine.” His roommate Evan was sitting on his bed with him. He had panicked about his task, and he was trying to calm him down. 

 

“What if they don’t listen to me?” Virgil had to lead the group to safety, but he wasn’t a good leader. He was too shy to speak up. 

 

“Why wouldn’t they? You have your fake backstory right? They’ll probably listen to you because you have more experience.” Evan was good at reasoning to calm him down. It usually helped, but Virgil’s brain would not listen today. 

 

“I’m not sure if I can do this.” He had a pit in his stomach, and it was only a week before he has to leave. “Oh god, what if they get hurt, or sick, or worse? I won’t be able to react rationally, Evan.  _ Why did Abraham pick me for this? _ ” Virgil put his eyes on his knees, trying to stop himself from crying. 

 

“Virge, look at me.” Evan’s voice was soothing. He picked up his head. He took his hands in his. “You’ll be  _ fine _ . I can only speak from my experiences, but it’s so much easier than you think. It’s likely that they’ll be desperate for interaction that they’ll cling to you almost immediately.”

 

“That’s easy for you to say,” Virgil mumbled, “your client was suicidal.”

 

Evan went silent for a moment. “You don’t know what’s up with these kids. They very well might be suicidal too. Just, please,” Evan looked right into his eyes, “don’t do what I did.”

 

Virgil could easily feel the tension in the air. Evan didn’t like to bring up his client. “I’m sorry I brought it up.”

 

“It's fine; I know you're stressed.” He moved to get up. “I mean it when I say this, you'll be fine. You tend to panic over nothing. You'll get these kids to safety, Virge.”

 

Virgil didn't completely believe his words, but he still had a week to go. 


	2. Chapter 2

_ Virgil died on a windy day in April. He woke up that day unsuspecting of what was going to transpire that day. He felt on edge, but shrugged it off as him being paranoid. He cooked and ate, packed his things, and set on his way.  _

 

_ After a few hours of walking, he heard a twig snap behind him. He jumped a little, but kept walking.  _ It's probably just a deer,  _ he thought.  _

 

_ He picked up random little sounds, a bird flying away, the sound of a walkie-talkie going off, a chipmunk scurrying up a tree. Some of the sounds put him more on edge. He pulled his bow from off of his back and cocked an arrow. _

 

_ After a while he heard leaves being crushed by feet behind him. He knew who they were, so he starting running. He knew it would be pointless, but he shot an arrow backwards.  _

 

_ He was getting winded, and the people behind him were getting closer. Still, he didn’t stop. He wouldn’t die today, that’s for certain.  _

 

_ Suddenly, a bunch of SWAT-Team looking people ran into his path. Virgil panicked and ran to the left. Others stopped in front of him. He turned around and ran the other way. More people stopped him.  _

 

_ He was surrounded. There was no chance of escape. Virgil felt like a trapped animal. He folded in on himself until he could feel the presence of the people chasing him. A strong hand grabbed him by the hair and lifted him up.  _

 

_ “Gotcha, ya little shit. Think you could've run away from us, huh?” A gruff voice said. Virgil didn't want to open his eyes. He kicked his feet in a final attempt to try and get away. He was suddenly dropped to the ground and slumped there. He heard the cock of a gun. “Your brain will do a lot for us, y’know?” The man chuckled. _

 

_ Gun fire. Excruciating pain through his chest. Darkness. Virgil lost.  _

 

* * *

 

Virgil died when he was 15. If he was still alive, he would be 28. If he had lived, he might've had a family, a job, a house. 

 

It was so long ago, yet the nightmares kept continuing. It was almost like clockwork at that point. He rarely had a peaceful night’s sleep. He would wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep. The only time he would actually feel rested is when the lack of sleep caught up to him, and he would pass out without dreaming. It sucked, to be frank. 

 

The nightmares woke him up the night before he was supposed to go back to earth.  _ Great _ , he thought,  _ can't even get a good night sleep before I start on my journey.  _ He rubbed his eyes and sat up.  _ Might as well make sure I have everything before I go.  _

 

He  double triple checked his bag, making sure that he had the necessary supplies. He couldn't afford any improvisation on this journey. People’s lives were at stake, all riding on his shoulders. He tried not to think about the responsibility. 

 

“Are you seriously packing last minute?” Virgil jumped at the sudden voice. “Oh no, I'm so sorry.” Evan put his hands over his mouth. He was wearing pajamas with hearts on them, and slipper socks. No wonder Virgil didn't hear him come in. 

 

“It’s fine,” he mumbled, “I'm sorry for waking you up.” Virgil normally would've thought that Evan hated him, but he hasn't kicked him out yet, even after all these years. He stuck with him through his worst days, so he must be staying. 

 

“It's fine, I was up anyway.” Evan walked over to the coffee machine and started to make himself tea. “Dreamed about the day you died again?”

 

“I thought they were supposed to stop after a year, why do I still get them?”

 

“You have an anxiety disorder. You dwell on things for a very long time Virgil. Your brain works differently than everyone’s.” He picked up his mug and leaned against the counter. 

 

“I wish it didn't.” Virgil always struggled with paranoia and anxiety. It was a life- and afterlife- long struggle. 

 

“Do you have the files on your clients? Can I see them?” Virgil nodded and pulled some files out of his bag. There were three of them. He spread them on the table and opened the first one. 

 

“Patton Matthews.” He picked up the photo and handed it to Evan. “18-years-old. Is super in-tune to emotions. A little under a year and a half until he's taken away. Lives in central California. Should be somewhere near the western border of Nevada right about now.” He opened the next file and held up the photo. “Roman Prince. 17-years old.” Evan took the photo out of Virgil’s hand. “Has amazing and completely unique ideas. Also very strong. Lives in Arizona. Likely where the borders of Nevada, California, and Arizona.” He pulled out the final picture. “Logan Phillips. 16-years-old. Super genius. Lives in Florida and has been on the run for almost a year. Probably in southern Idaho at this point.” Virgil also pulled out a map. “Abraham’s going to drop me off near Patton. He’ll be the easiest to convince. After that, we'll go and find Roman. He’ll be a little more difficult, but he's probably terrified right now.” He took a deep breath. “Logan will be the hardest to convince. He's had the most experience on the run, and he's probably set on his own plan, but Abraham told me that his plan will lead him to ruin. I have to set him on the right path, otherwise I'll fail.”

 

“You're very prepared,” was Evan’s only comment. He looked at him with amazement. “You've changed so much Virge. You're so different from the scared fledgling that Abraham brought to me.”

 

“I'm not different; I just learned to hide my fear.” In appearance, he hadn't changed at all. He was fifteen when he died, and he still looked fifteen. He barely even grew in height too. 

 

Evan laughed a little. “I don't know what I'm gonna do without you.” He rubbed his eyes. 

 

“You'll be fine. Trust me, Abraham has something special for you.” Virgil held out his arms. 

 

Evan returned the hug. “I hope so,” he mumbled. 

 

The two shared that hug for a while. After all, it would be a long time before they saw each other again. 


	3. Chapter 3

_ Virgil learned about the tests when he was 10-years-old. He was in the 4th grade, and he had been called down to the guidance office. He almost didn’t hear the call through the headphones he had to wear. He got up from the desk, avoiding the stares of the other students.  _

 

_ He took off the headphones in the hallway. He could hear the other teachers teaching, a conversation between fifth graders in the girl’s bathroom, the passing of cars on the street. It was relatively quiet at that time, which is why Virgil could keep the headphones off. Otherwise all the noises would force him into shutdown mode.  _

 

_ There were too many noises in the guidance office, so he put the headphones back on. He didn’t want to hear the typing, the sound of writing, the breathing of the reception lady. He scrunched his shoulders up a little, feeling uncomfortable.  _

 

_ “Hello Virgil, please sit down.” The headphones were connected to a device that singled out voices, so Virgil could listen in class and not have all the distractions. It was faulty sometimes when other kids were talking, but it worked well for the most part.  _

 

_ “I’m sure you’re aware of your special… talent.” Virgil didn’t know why she paused before saying talent. Perhaps because it wasn’t really a talent and more of a problem. Still, he nodded his head. “Well, it looks like it’s because your brain is special. It’s more advanced than other people’s brains. You process certain information better, and it may be due to evolution. Scientists will want to study your brain when you are older.”  _

 

_ Virgil’s stomach dropped at the word “study”. He knew what that word meant. It meant that he wouldn’t live through the process. Virgil’s whole body went numb at the thought. He would never be able to live out his dreams. He would never be able to finish college and do what he wanted. Tears started to leak out of his eyes. The guidance counselor did nothing but let him let it out.  _

 

_ He didn’t go back to class that day. _

 

* * *

 

Virgil was reincarnated in the middle of November. He was confused for a little bit, but slowly and surely his memory came back to him. He asked Abraham to drop him off within 20 minutes of Patton. He was on the border of some woods, right on the brink of a highway. His senses were telling him to go opposite of the way he was facing. It was likely Abraham telling him where Patton was. 

 

Truthfully, he didn't want to get up. He felt like he had gotten hit by a truck. He wanted to stay where he was lying down for the rest of the day.  _ You have to do this, Virge.  _ He gathered up the will to get up. 

 

The first thing Virgil noticed was that his hearing was back to how it was when he died. He could hear every little sound that was being made. It made him uncomfortable, but he had a mission to complete. He couldn’t retreat back to the way he would when he was 7. 

 

Still, some of the noises irritated him. The buzzing of the cicadas, for one. He kinda wished he hadn’t lost his headphones long ago. Maybe he’ll buy a normal set one day that they make it to a town. It’ll be better than nothing. 

 

Virgil found Patton not too long afterwards. He was just sitting next to a tree, looking kind of sad. It made sense, after considering what his “specialty” was. He probably needed to be around people often. 

 

Virgil circumvented until he would be approaching Patton from the front. He walked slowly so Patton would hear him. “Hey, are you alright?”

 

Patton jumped a little at the sudden noise. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” 

 

“I’ve gotten good at making no sound.” Virgil sat down next to him. At this close, he could hear Patton’s heartbeat. “I’m Virgil, what’s your name?” He already knew, but asked anyway. 

 

“Patton.” He didn’t say anything else, and an awkward silence fell between them. Virgil could sense Patton’s nervousness, and it was likely that Patton sensed his. 

 

“Why are you just sitting under a tree alone?” Virgil took the chance of asking the first question. It wasn’t likely that he’d answer fully, but you never know. 

 

The chance was a success. “I…” Patton took a deep breath. Virgil heard a woodpecker nearby. “I couldn’t live at home anymore. I had to run away.” Virgil could feel that Patton was hesitant. The cicadas stopped buzzing. “I’m supposed to be sent away when I turn twenty. Do you know what the Special Tests are?”

 

Virgil nodded. “I know them very well. I’m running away from them.”

 

Patton’s eyes grew wide. “You’re a Special too?” he practically yelled. Virgil winced a little at the sudden loud noise. Patton noticed this and quietly apologized.

 

“Yeah, I have super-sensitive ears.” The sound of a deer running through the trees floated through Virgil’s ears. 

 

“Woah, that's pretty cool.” Virgil didn't think it was, but Patton never experienced it. “It’s a lot cooler than mine, at least.”

 

Virgil already knew what Patton’s was, but decided to ask anyway. Virgil was just amazed at his own acting skills. 

 

“I know what people are feeling at all times. Like right now, I can tell that you’re a little anxious, yet you’re hiding it really well.” Patton shifted a little, leaving rustling underneath him. “How long have you been on the run?”

 

“A little over a year.” Virgil had rehearsed this part a thousand times in his head, and even a few times with Evan. “I’m from Washington, but I’m not the fastest, nor do I have the best sense of direction. My plan was to go to New Jersey, save up money, and get a plane ticket elsewhere.” Virgil took a deep breath. “What’s your plan?”

 

Patton started to look uncomfortable. “I, um…” He looked sheepishly at the ground, “don’t really have one. Me running away was kinda in the spur of the moment. I was also pretty much halfway through a panic attack.”

 

While Virgil did know that Patton ran away, he didn’t know the circumstances of Patton’s leaving. He decided to not comment about the panic attack bit, as he knew himself that talking about that stuff was hard. “Do you wanna come with me?” Virgil stood up. “You looked really lonely when I approached you. Plus, I bet you have a better sense of direction than I do.” He stuck his hand out and smiled. “So, what do you say?”

 

Patton took Virgil’s hand, pulling himself up, and smiled too. “I would love that.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

_ Virgil met Evan two days after he woke up in the afterlife. It was the first week of Guardian classes, and the school was hosting a sort of orientation. It was kind of like college, and Virgil didn’t know how to feel about that. It was kind of a cruel irony, but there was nothing Virge could do. _

 

_ Every fledgling got assigned to a “senior” angel. He was anxious, especially because he didn’t do well with new people. He wanted to figure out this place on his own. Maybe getting help wouldn’t be so bad. It would especially help avoid the awkward “I got lost” introductions. _

 

_ Abraham brought Virgil to his guide personally. It made Virgil feel awkward, like he was a freshman whose mom is too overbearing. Abraham wasn’t doing it for anyone else, so what made him so special? _

 

_ “Virgil, this is Evan.” Abraham’s introduction brought Virgil out of his thoughts. Before him stood a boy who looked a little older than he was. He had pink and brown hair, and he looked friendly enough. Virgil felt more at ease. _

 

_ Evan smiled. “Hi, Virgil! I’m your guide around the Guardian School!” His wings fluttered a little in excitement. “I’m excited to show you around.”  _

 

_ Virgil felt shy. No one really payed attention to him when he was alive, so it was strange to receive so much attention.  _

 

_ “He’s pretty quiet, Evan, so I wouldn’t expect him to talk much.” Abraham explained. Virgil was now glad that he was there.  _

 

_ “That’s fine, if you don’t wanna talk, you don’t have to. You just need to pay attention.”  _

 

_ Virgil tried his hardest to pay attention, but his mind was elsewhere. Evan would talk, yet the words wouldn’t register. This was the first angel Virgil had talked to since he woke up here. Sure, he met Abraham, but he wasn’t an angel. Virge didn’t know why he felt so spacey.  _

 

_ Before he knew it, the tour was over. “And that’s all! Do you have any questions?” Evan still sounded as enthusiastic as when they first started.  _

 

_ Virgil was silent for a moment. Evan took the silence as a no, but as he started his next sentence, Virgil spoke. “How did you die?” _

 

_ Evan’s expression darkened, and Virgil’s heart started to beat faster. He messed up, oh no, he shouldn’t have asked. “I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”  _ Good job Virge, now he hates you. 

 

_ The two sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. Virgil started to walk away.  _

 

_ “...Suicide.” _

 

_ Virgil stopped in his tracks. “Suicide?” _

 

_ Evan moved closer to Virgil. “I killed myself. I was depressed, nothing felt right. I let my thoughts catch up to me, and I wound up with a lethal amount of Advil in my stomach. Next thing I knew I was here, confused and scared.” _

 

_ Virgil let that soak in. He desperately wanted to give Evan a hug, but he held himself back. “Do you regret it?” _

 

_ “Absolutely. I left behind some people who didn’t deserve to lose me. I could’ve gotten help. However, I feel like I got a second chance. I don’t want anyone to feel the way that I did. That’s why I accepted.” Evan took a breath. “You’re the first one I told this to. I don’t know what it is about you, but you’re easy to open up to.” _

 

_ Virgil smiled. “I feel the same way about you.” _

 

_ When it was time to find a roommate, the two chose each other. _

 

* * *

 

Virgil realized something very important on the way to find Roman. Patton had the  _ worst _ sense of direction.

 

Patton had no idea where Virgil was taking him. He didn’t think anything while Virgil led him farther south. 

 

It also seemed that Patton really did run away on a whim. As the weather got colder, the only thing he had to cover himself was a cardigan and a cat hoodie. Neither of them were very thick. Virgil made a note to stop at a town one day and buy Patton a coat. Although, they  _ were _ able to combat the cold as they went farther south.

 

They ran into Roman unexpectedly. It was him who approached them, in a rather abrupt matter. 

 

“Halt, citizens! What makes you think that you can encroach on my territory?”

 

Virgil turned around to see a sword pointed in his direction. If he had a heart, it would be beating out of his chest. He felt his fingers go cold in panic.  _ Calm down Virge. He won’t actually hurt you.  _

 

He put his hands up. “Whoa dude, what’s with the hostility?” He glanced over at Patton, wondering if he sensed Virgil’s fear. 

 

“I’ve been here for a month with little to no trouble. All of a sudden you two show up, and you look suspicious! Why are you wearing a cloak?” Roman started to squint, and Virgil didn’t think it was from the sunlight. 

 

Virgil’s wings shifted a little under the cloak. They’ve been in this position for way too long. He needed to stretch them out, but he wasn’t sure if he would have the opportunity any time soon. “It’s cold out. This cloak is really warm.”

 

“Still! You look like you belong to a cult! Why can’t you just wear a normal coat like me?” Roman puffed his chest out a little and lowered the sword. He was wearing a red and gold varsity jacket. It looked warm, and Virgil knew they were worth the money. 

 

“I didn’t play any sports. Besides, my parents wouldn’t’ve been able to afford one.” Virgil tried to hide his blushing cheeks. 

 

“You could’ve bought a normal coat anyways! Why the cloak?”

 

Luckily, Patton interrupted before Virgil had a chance to respond. “My friend’s choice of outerwear shouldn’t matter. What matters is that we’re not here to hurt you.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Patton, and this is Virgil. What’s your name?”

 

“I’m Roman. I ran away from home because I’m a Special.” 

 

“No way!” Patton smiled widely. “Virgil and I are Specials too!”

 

“Small world.” Virgil remarked, but he knew the reason they were brought together.

 

“Sadly, not small enough. I’m on my way down to Mexico to avoid the horrid experiments to draw closer. It’s taking much longer than expected.” Roman crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one foot.

 

_ Alright Virge, hopefully you can convince him. _ “Uh, that might be an issue.” Roman looked at him expectantly. “The President and Mexico’s President agreed to not let Specials through the border.”

 

Roman’s face fell a little. “Are you serious?” Virgil nodded. “When did that happen?”

 

“A little over a month and a half ago.” Lucky for Virgil, Patton was being silent. 

 

“Oh…” Roman looked down at the ground. Virgil saw some leaves fall down behind him.

“Listen, Patton and I are going to a Special-friendly town in New Jersey. After that, we’re gonna fly to another country to escape. Do you want to come with us?” He asked, putting the tiniest bit of charmspeak in his voice.

 

Roman nodded, not saying anything else for the rest of the day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's been a while. I don't really want to explain why I haven't updated this fic in forever, but let me just say it's complicated. And I'm sure you don't want a long and convoluted explanation, you just wanna read the chapter. So let's get on with it!  
> Content Warning for this Chapter:   
> First Half: CHILD ABUSE, acts of violence.   
> Second Half: panic attacks, guns, threats of violence  
> Please don't read if you are triggered by any of these.

_ Virgil never liked to be home. It was scary, and he was always being yelled at for something. So he did whatever he could to not be home. He helped out the neighbors, went to the library, wandered around.  _

_ As he got older, it became harder to be out. People started to question why he was never home. Police officers would see him wandering around past curfew and would take him home. _

_ Virgil could remember the night it reached its peak. An officer had brought him home and explained to his mother that he was wandering around the city late at night. Virgil was shaking, though it must not have been as visible as he thought. _

_ Virgil’s mother thanked the officer and closed the door. She watched as he drove away, and then turned to Virgil. She started screaming at him, something about the family’s reputation. Virgil stood there immobilized in fear.  _

_ She grabbed a glass bottle that she had been drinking out of and swung it at him. He didn’t have time to run out of the way. It hit his shoulder, sending shards of glass flying. A sizable piece lodged itself in his shoulder, another sliced him right under the eyebrow. He wanted to scream in pain, but that would make her angrier.  _

_ “Fucking worthless piece of shit! I should’ve never had you!” Virgil went upstairs into the bathroom after that. Tears were falling down his cheeks. He could barely move his arm without pain shooting up it. He grabbed a pair of tweezers and tried to pull out the glass, resisting the urge to scream.  _ You’re 13 now, Virgil.  _ He kept repeating to himself.  _ You’re a man now. Men don’t acknowledge pain.

_ The glass was finally out of his shoulder. He tried to slow down his breathing, but the pain was too much. The cut under his eyebrow was bleeding passed his eye and into his mouth. He found the first aid kit after a while, and started to clean his cuts. He put bandages on them and went to his room.  _

_ Virgil crawled into his bed and pulled his covers over his head. He wanted out of this house. He didn’t want to live like he was anymore.  _

_ He was woken up to his door slamming open. His father burst in, screaming at the top of his lungs. Virgil was scared the neighbors would hear.  _

_ His dad dragged him off of the bed by the ankle. Virgil was hyperventilating at this point, terrified for what would come next. His father was still yelling.  _

_ Once he was on the floor, his father stood on his leg. His father was a 6’4” laborer, so he was pretty heavy, especially for how malnourished Virgil was. He was in pain. He could see the violence behind his father’s eyes. And then he jumped.  _

_ SNAP _

_ Virgil let out a scream. The pain was unbearable. His father left the room, leaving his heart pounding and his body shaking. He stayed on the floor for hours, wondering if he would come back. He got up, not even bothering to try and put weight on his now broken leg.  _

_ The pain didn’t go away the next morning. He tried to hide his limp. His homeroom teacher noticed immediately, and sent him to the nurse, who sent him to the hospital. When the ER nurse asked what happened, he lied. Just like always.  _

_ Little did he know that it would contribute to his demise 2 years later.  _

* * *

Virgil had gotten used to the cold by now. It was January already, and winter was in full swing. Their extremities were numb and their cheeks were rosy. The farther north they went, the colder it got.

Between meeting Roman and now, they managed to find a relatively small town, but not small enough that there were no stores in it. Luckily, they were able to get Patton an actual winter coat before going north.

Roman, unlike Patton, had a sense of direction, and constantly asked Virgil why they were going north. Virgil somehow managed to brush off the question every time, quickly telling him to not ask questions.

Soon they were within a few miles of the Canadian border, and a half a mile near Logan. They had to find him before he crossed the border. Virgil knew who controlled fate, and they told him that Logan would die after he crossed the border.

They wandered around the area in search, but to no avail. Maybe his instincts were wrong this time. Virgil felt himself start to get nervous. He had to hide it from Patton.

And then the cock of a gun was heard.

“If you move, I will shoot.” A cold, calculating voice said.

Virgil turned around slowly, soon coming face to face with the barrel of a pistol. Virgil’s head started to race, and he fell backwards onto the ground, closing his eyes and covering his ears.

His mind was spiraling.  _ There’s a gun. We’re gonna die. I’m gonna fail. P l e a s e.  _ The only things he could hear were his own heartbeat and his thoughts.

He had to snap out of it. Patton and Roman were in danger. His own fears could be pushed aside for now.

“-makes you think we’re dangerous?” Roman was saying.

“I’ve gotten this far by trusting no one. I’ve pushed away countless people in order to escape this country.” The voice, likely Logan, explained. “Most people have the ability to use their voice, and that is one of the most powerful weapons in the world. I can’t put my belief in anyone.”

“But you can believe us! If you just let us explain who we are-“

Logan trained his eyes onto Patton. “And how do I know if you’re truly on my side or not? You could be lying, and I’d have no clue.”

Whatever plan Patton and Roman were trying to execute, it wasn’t working. Virgil had to think. There was one thing that could work, but Virgil might be exposed during it.

“Logan… Phillips.” Virgil muttered. It wasn’t that loud, but all conversation halted.

“What did you just say?” Logan pointed the gun at Virgil.  _ Don’t do that, please.  _ Virgil took a deep breath.  _ Just swallow the phobia. _

“Logan Phillips. 16-years-old. About 5 months ago you were in Kansas. You stopped at a local store in a small town. You bought a lot of water, 2 boxes of crackers, and 4 jars of a specific kind of jelly.” Virgil looked Logan right in the eyes and didn’t look away. “I was the one who checked you out. That store was my grandparents’. A week later you appeared on the news, saying you were a runaway from the Special Tests.” He stood up, not breaking eye contact. It was starting to be uncomfortable, but Virgil wasn’t backing down. “Judging from what you told my friends here, you’re trying to get to Canada. The reporters pieced that together too. But you can’t go through with that plan.”

Logan was speechless for a while. When he spoke, his voice was small. “How do you know that?”

Virgil put a lot of charmspeak into these next few sentences. “Right after that news report, there was breaking news. Canada had just passed a law that would implement the Special Tests, making them the last North American country to outlaw Specials.”

Logan took a deep breath and kept his grip on his gun. “You’re lying.”

“We’re just like you. We need to get away from the tests that will kill us. Come with us Logan, you can trust us.” Virgil held out his hand.

Logan still looked skeptical. “Prove it. Prove to me you guys are specials.”

Of course Logan needed proof, being who he is. Virgil tilted his head to the side smugly. “Right now, I can hear everything. Your heart beating, Roman’s breath, the wind rustling the leaves. There’s a deer about half a mile away running from a hunter. The snow that’s falling makes a distinct sound that’s exactly like dropping a blanket on the ground.”

Patton stepped forward. “I can tell how you feel.”

Logan scoffed. “Impossible. I don’t have feelings.”

“You’re scared, Logan. You’re scared of us. You’re annoyed that we haven’t left you alone yet. You’re nervous about the news that Virgil gave you.” Patton took another step. “There are very few people who don't experience emotions in this world. You're not one of them.”

Virgil held out his hand. “Come with us Logan. Traveling alone is extremely dangerous, and we’ll make sure to get out of this country together.”

Logan sighed. “Fine, but don't think I'm going along willingly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative title for this chapter was LoGun.   
> Kudos/Comments keep me going!


End file.
